I have been making homemade pizza dough for a few years now. And I have always loved the results. But recently I finally switched out my basic baking flour for "00" aka "double 0" flour. And oh my goodness was the difference remarkable.

So what is "00" flour? "In Italy, flour is classified either as 1, 0, or 00, and refers to how finely ground the flour is and how much of the bran and germ have been removed. Doppio zero is the most highly refined and is talcum-powder soft." - 0chef.com

Double "oh" flour is ideal for making authentic pizza crust. So I know many of you guys (and me as well!) might be more in favor of whole grain, hearty-fiber, less processed type flours, but if you really crave that pizzeria-style crust at home THIS is the flour to grab at the store.

Where can I find "00" flour? I bought mine at a gourmet-ish grocery store here in LA called Bristol Farms. You can probably find it at any specialty or gourmet store and you can always buy it online too.

If you are a pizza lover, can handle gluten, and love the taste of authentic Italian pizza crust, give this recipe a whirl. I think you will start saying this on pizza crust night: "once you go "00" you never go back."

(nutrition: there is about 1,000 calories in one ball of the pizza dough .. for those who are interested)

Directions:

1. Add the yeast and water water to a large mixing bowl. Stir until the yeast has dissolved.

2. Add in 1 cup of flour and the salt and stir until sticky. Then add in the remaining 1 1/3 cups flour a scoop at a time - kneading all the way through. Yes your hands will get nice and dough-y. Knead this mixture for a few minutes right int he large bowl until a soft pillow-y ball of dough forms.

3. Flour and oil spray the bowl so the dough doesn't stick to the bowl as it rise. Cover with a clean cloth or a few paper towels and allow the dough to rise for a good hour in a warm spot.

(About a few minutes until you punch out the dough you can preheat the oven to 425 degrees)

4. In an hour or so, punch out the dough, add a few pinches of flour and start kneading the dough. If you are making two mini pizzas, split the dough into two balls.

5. Start rolling, tossing and stretching the dough to form a pizza shell. Press out the dough on your baking sheet or pizza pan that will go in the oven. If using corn meal, run the dough through a bit of corm meal so it lightly coats the bottom of the crust and edges.

6. To top the dough I add this: 1-2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a pinch of vegan Parmesan. Then i add 4-6 Tbsp of sauce. Then I add all the veggie toppings.

Pro-Tip: Make sure your oven is nice and HOT! 425 is a good temp, if you can go up to 450, go for it. Pizza dough loves heat.

7. Bake the pizzas in the very hot 425 degree oven for 11-15 minutes - basically until the edges crust over and the middle is not doughy.

I have been making homemade pizza dough for a few years now. And I have always loved the results. But recently I finally switched out my basic baking flour for "00" aka "double 0" flour. And oh my goodness was the difference remarkable.

So what is "00" flour? "In Italy, flour is classified either as 1, 0, or 00, and refers to how finely ground the flour is and how much of the bran and germ have been removed. Doppio zero is the most highly refined and is talcum-powder soft." - 0chef.com

Double "oh" flour is ideal for making authentic pizza crust. So I know many of you guys (and me as well!) might be more in favor of whole grain, hearty-fiber, less processed type flours, but if you really crave that pizzeria-style crust at home THIS is the flour to grab at the store.

Where can I find "00" flour? I bought mine at a gourmet-ish grocery store here in LA called Bristol Farms. You can probably find it at any specialty or gourmet store and you can always buy it online too.

If you are a pizza lover, can handle gluten, and love the taste of authentic Italian pizza crust, give this recipe a whirl. I think you will start saying this on pizza crust night: "once you go "00" you never go back."

(nutrition: there is about 1,000 calories in one ball of the pizza dough .. for those who are interested)

Directions:

1. Add the yeast and water water to a large mixing bowl. Stir until the yeast has dissolved.

2. Add in 1 cup of flour and the salt and stir until sticky. Then add in the remaining 1 1/3 cups flour a scoop at a time - kneading all the way through. Yes your hands will get nice and dough-y. Knead this mixture for a few minutes right int he large bowl until a soft pillow-y ball of dough forms.

3. Flour and oil spray the bowl so the dough doesn't stick to the bowl as it rise. Cover with a clean cloth or a few paper towels and allow the dough to rise for a good hour in a warm spot.

(About a few minutes until you punch out the dough you can preheat the oven to 425 degrees)

4. In an hour or so, punch out the dough, add a few pinches of flour and start kneading the dough. If you are making two mini pizzas, split the dough into two balls.

5. Start rolling, tossing and stretching the dough to form a pizza shell. Press out the dough on your baking sheet or pizza pan that will go in the oven. If using corn meal, run the dough through a bit of corm meal so it lightly coats the bottom of the crust and edges.

6. To top the dough I add this: 1-2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a pinch of vegan Parmesan. Then i add 4-6 Tbsp of sauce. Then I add all the veggie toppings.

Pro-Tip: Make sure your oven is nice and HOT! 425 is a good temp, if you can go up to 450, go for it. Pizza dough loves heat.

7. Bake the pizzas in the very hot 425 degree oven for 11-15 minutes - basically until the edges crust over and the middle is not doughy.